The great preparation for a job interview

Time, date, location. Arrive in a fashionable time and remember; first impressions count. Make sure you come in professional clothing and be polite to everyone you meet. Smile and thank them for meeting you. Speak clearly. Ask the recruitment consultant about the format of the job interview. Job interviews usually begin with an icebreaker question, such as your trip to the office.

However, pressure can also be exerted immediately – be prepared for both, so that you do not feel overwhelmed. Pay attention to your interviewer’s body language – you may be able to measure whether your answer is correct or whether you need to change your tactics. Pay attention to your own body language. If you look in the air while answering questions, or cover your mouth when you speak, it does not make a good impression.

Have at least 3 reasons to want to join the company and come up with examples from your research about the company. Examine the company website. The website is the external face of the company and can therefore give you a valuable insight. If necessary, check for annual reports and declarations.

Are you up to date with the latest legal developments in your area? Make sure you have looked at recent publications in your field with specialization and other websites in the industry. Do you know anyone in the organization already, or anyone who has worked there before? All insider information can be useful to ensure that you have a good understanding of the organization.

Ask your recruitment consultant, who has developed a relationship with the organization and perhaps the hiring manager, what they are looking for and their understanding of the company and its structure. Use the above to formulate questions to show the hiring manager that you are interested in the company and committed to their goals and visions.

Instead of embarrassing yourself or sweeping your weaknesses deep under the rug, you should see them as your development potential – the places where you can improve.

Always talk less about your negative sides than about the positive ones and show that you are willing to improve and learn more about yourself and others.

Your recruitment consultant will be able to guide you in which type of questions you will be asked and whether they are designed to test your technical knowledge or your personality. Interviewers have different styles, and this knowledge will help you in your preparation.

Be ready to discuss everything on your resume. Often people may not remember any of their previous experience, so make sure you are able to discuss all aspects and be ready to explain your career choices. Examine your answers aloud. Although it is not advisable to come across as too well practiced, it can often identify where your answers can be improved when you hear yourself speak out loud.

Employers want to know why you want to move to their organization. Instead of saying something negative about your current work position, your answers should emphasize the positive benefits to you of working in this particular company. One answer such as this would be acceptable: “Although the time I have spent on X has been fun, I am ready to move on to an organization with a global platform where I can take a higher level of responsibility, etc.” Answer questions briefly. If you have answered the question, you do not have to feel obligated to keep talking.

Remember that the purpose of a job interview is to find out information about you, so a simple answer like yes or no is often too inadequate, feel free to come up with examples of why you answer the way you do. Do not panic if you are asked about something that you cannot answer. Your interviewer may ask you to see what type of response you have. If in doubt, you can answer that you would prefer to examine the situation in more detail, but offhand you believe that you would approach the situation by approach X or approach Y.

Make sure that the strengths you have in mind lean towards the reasons why the hiring manager should hire you.

This is a unique chance to sell yourself and your skills.

When considering areas of your career, reflect on what you felt went well or what you were particularly proud of achieving. Comment on what you have learned from, and how your role fits into that particular team or department. Use the STAR technique to answer competency-based questions, as this will help structure your answer.

• Situation – give a brief overview of the example
• Task – what you were asked to do
• Action – what steps you have taken to achieve it
• Result – overall conclusion of the case

A legal interview will always include technical issues and it is important to be prepared. It may be necessary to discuss legal issues regarding specific agreements / cases or discuss recent updates or changes in the law.

Be prepared for the following questions, as they are often asked in connection with recruitment. Be sure to answer them from a positive angle: What are you looking for in the short / long term? Why do you want to perform this role? Why do you feel you are suitable for this role? What makes you different from other candidates with similar experience?

How do you handle frustration? How do you motivate yourself? Where have you experienced working with / or for someone you did not agree with / disliked, and how did you handle it? What do you think you can bring to this role / organization? Who are our main competitors? If we hire you, what long-term benefits would we expect from you? What has been the hardest decision you have made in your career? What do you least enjoy about your current role? What examples do you have to demonstrate your strengths? How will your portfolio complement our business? Many of these are relatively common questions, but in order to prepare for them, you need to have done your research about the company.

Unless the interviewer asks you, this is usually not discussed at the first interview, as this is typically a question that is clarified in the final stages of the hiring process. If you are asked anyway, tell them what you are currently getting, and then emphasize that you are much more interested in exploring the possibilities of new work assignments than discussing salary negotiations at the current stage of the process. If they ask where else you have job interviews, emphasize that you are looking at a few options, but remind them that you are very interested in the position with them.

Prepare a selection of questions that show your interest in the company. Do not ask questions you may find through their website or about money, benefits or hours. Some good examples could include be:

• What would your career path be within the organization?

• What kind of training / onboarding would it be?

• Where do they see the organization in 5 or 10 years?

• The support structure in the company.

You should always try to leave the conversation partner with a good impression. Even if you do not want to continue the job interview process, it is good for your professional reputation to end the interview on a positive note. You should thank the hiring manager for their time and for the opportunity to meet them.

After leaving the job interview, make a note of the questions that were asked of you and your answers. This gives you an accurate record of the interview and can be useful in later job interviews in the same organization or with other similar positions.

Call your recruitment consultant and give them feedback.